Chinese Protests Grow
More Frequent, Violent

Power Abuses by Officials,
Lack of Grievance Channels
Spur Unrest Among Public

By

Kathy Chen Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Updated Nov. 5, 2004 12:01 a.m. ET

BEIJING -- Protests in China appear to be growing in frequency, scale and violence, underscoring the tensions of a society plagued by widespread corruption, social inequities and a lack of official channels to air grievances.

Thursday, tens of thousands of farmers protested in Hanyuan County in the western province of Sichuan over what they view as inadequate compensation by the government for their land, which is needed to make way...